J.D. VANCE and Donald Trump (Shutterstock).

An Iranian plot to assassinate president-elect Donald Trump has been foiled by the U.S. Department of Justice, according to the Associated Press.

The murder-for-hire scheme has resulted in the issuance of an arrest warrant for Farad Shakeri, 51, whom the government claims is a man who has served time in American prisons for robbery and heads a group of criminal “associates” used by the Iranian government.

Shakeri is at-large and is believed to be in Iran at present. Charged and arrested in New York are Carlisle Rivera, 49, of Brooklyn and Jonathan Loadholt, 36, of Staten Island. Charges include murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and conspiracy to “launder” money.

Also slated for an attack is Masih Alinejad, a human rights activist living in Brooklyn for his criticism of the treatment of women in Iran, according to The New York Times.The Times also reported that the Iranian government sought to interfere in the U.S. presidential election.

House control is still undecided

Which party is going to control the U.S. House of Representatives? That’s still unknown as counts in some close races have yet to be tallied completely.

U.S. CAPITOL, seat of Congress (Shutterstock).

As of Friday afternoon – reports The New York Times – Republicans now hold 211 seats and the Democrats 199. For a majority, 218 votes are needed.

Therefore, the GOP needs to win seven of the remaining races, with the Democrats needing 15.

In the Senate, Republicans have already won enough seats to have a 52-45 advantage with three seats still unresolved.

Case against Trump is ‘paused’

Legal proceedings against president-elect Donald Trump for his role in allegedly inciting the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol has been “paused.”

A FEDERAL JUDGE has paused the trial of Donald Trump over charges of election interference (Shutterstock).

Special counsel Jack Smith requested – and has been granted by a federal judge – a delay until Dec. 2, citing the “unprecedented circumstance” of prosecuting a man who will become president in a little over two months.

According to United Press International, Federal Judge Tanya Chuktan granted Smith’s request “‘shortly” after it was made. There was a “consensus” among Justice Department officials that there can be no trials of Trump after the election, says UPI.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing; the Justice Department has made a 165-page “election inference” filing against the 45th president.

Weather: Getting a bit cooler

Cooler temperatures are in the offing for our West Orange County cities. The forecast for Saturday is for a daytime high of 73 with an overnight low of 48 under partly cloudy skies. Sunday will chill to 71(48) and Monday to 68 (52) , both under partly cloudy skies. There should be a slight warming to 70 (55) on Tuesday.

Great Thoughts

“I’m not a member of any organized political party. I’m a Democrat.”
– Will Rogers, cowboy, actor, humorist.